New York Giantshttp://www.businessinsider.com/category/new-york-giants
en-usFri, 18 Aug 2017 01:43:44 -0400Fri, 18 Aug 2017 01:43:44 -0400The latest news on New York Giants from Business Insiderhttp://static3.businessinsider.com/assets/images/bilogo-250x36-wide-rev.pngBusiness Insiderhttp://www.businessinsider.com
http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-one-handed-catches-2017-8Odell Beckham is taking his incredible one-handed catches to a new levelhttp://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-one-handed-catches-2017-8
Mon, 14 Aug 2017 12:35:42 -0400Tyler Lauletta
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5991cab3b0e0b533098b4a46-1213/screen%20shot%202017-08-14%20at%20120257%20pm.png" alt="Odell Beckham grab" data-mce-source="Twitter/@Giants" data-link="https://twitter.com/Giants/status/897118004663767042"></p><p>Odell Beckham Jr. is already one of the NFL's can't-miss players and he appears to be taking his acrobatic catches to new levels this season.</p>
<p>Every time he takes the field is an opportunity for something electric to happen, be it a game-changing touchdown or a mind-blowing catch that defies logic and perfect defensive play from the cornerback trying to cover him.</p>
<p>While he was already a star at the time, Beckham became a national sensation when he made his <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-giants-greatest-catch-ever-2014-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">iconic three-fingered catch against</a> the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Al Michaels, the guy who called the Miracle on Ice, immediately wondered aloud if it was the greatest catch he had ever seen, as we at home wondered along with him.</p>
<p>We know that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-hand-size-2014-11" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">one-handed catches are something he practices</a>, and this year, if videos from preseasons and training camp are anything to believe, it looks like Odell has even more mind-altering snags to make.</p>
<p>First came this beauty, which happened before the Giants preseason matchup against the Steelers on Friday night. Odell didn't play in the game, but somehow still walked away with the highlight of the night.</p>
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Smh.. <a href="https://t.co/ZPFrEKrmYO">pic.twitter.com/ZPFrEKrmYO</a> </p>— FOST (@GeorgeFoster72) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/896143123511783424">August 11, 2017</a>
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<p>Wowzers.</p>
<p>Then on Monday, the Giants posted this video on Twitter, which you should probably be sitting down for.</p>
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<p lang="en" dir="ltr">So this just happened at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/GiantsCamp?src=hash">#GiantsCamp</a> 👀🔥 <a href="https://t.co/w3kFtK7gbK">pic.twitter.com/w3kFtK7gbK</a></p>— New York Giants (@Giants) <a href="https://twitter.com/Giants/status/897118004663767042">August 14, 2017</a>
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<p>Needless to say, Giants fans were excited, and eager for the season to begin.</p>
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Unreal </p>— GFY (@Chris_McGovern) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/897118206007160833">August 14, 2017</a>
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<a href="https://t.co/Gl5L7xw70h">pic.twitter.com/Gl5L7xw70h</a> </p>— Cec🎥 (@cec_tv) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/897129643651850241">August 14, 2017</a>
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My god </p>— A B R A R (@Abrar_Mahin_) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/897125499604008963">August 14, 2017</a>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/oSPUDSo">@oSPUDSo</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/TheFFLCommish">@TheFFLCommish</a> 😳 holy cow </p>— AvonBarksdale (@Nicky_Barnes82) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/897124895892660224">August 14, 2017</a>
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<p>The Giants kick off their 2017 season on September 10 against the Cowboys on Sunday Night Football.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jon-rahm-behind-the-back-pga-championship-shot-2017-8" >Jon Rahm's behind-the-back chip was the best shot of the PGA Championship</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-one-handed-catches-2017-8#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jordan-spieth-masters-golf-pga-open-champion-2017-7">Everything you need to know about 23-year-old golf phenom Jordan Spieth — who just won his third major</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-mcadoo-giants-lions-story-sex-2017-7Giants coach Ben McAdoo reportedly tried to motivate veteran players with a bizarre story about an old lion that had lots of sexhttp://www.businessinsider.com/ben-mcadoo-giants-lions-story-sex-2017-7
Fri, 28 Jul 2017 14:12:00 -0400Scott Davis
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/597b74464528e667038b46c9-1500/ben mcadoo.jpg" alt="ben mcadoo" data-mce-source="Seth Wenig/AP" /></p><p>Coaches in professional sports are constantly looking for sources of motivation for their team.</p>
<p>New York Giants coach Ben McAdoo may have found one of the most unique sources yet at the start of training camp, <a href="http://nypost.com/2017/07/27/ben-mcadoo-motivating-giants-with-lions-and-poems/">according to Steve Serby of the New York Post</a>.</p>
<p>McAdoo told his veteran players the story of Frasier the lion, a former circus lion in the 1970s that was sent to a zoo where he had a late&nbsp;<em>resurgence</em>.</p>
<p>Frasier, who later became known as "<span>Frasier the Sensuous Lion," <a href="http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jan/17/local/la-me-then17-2010jan17">according to the LA Times</a>, had up to 33&nbsp;cubs in 16 months, impregnating lionesses who had previously rejected any partners.</span></p>
<p><span>McAdoo told reporters afterward:</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"A lion in a Mexican circus, I believe it was the '70s &mdash; '72 maybe &mdash; and he was a little long in the tooth, and it was showing, and they felt he was washed up and they sent him north to California [Lion Country Safari], and the next thing you know, he was eating vitamins. The lionesses were bringing him meat and wouldn&rsquo;t eat until he was done eating. And was a lion that showed that he still had value, he still had worth. It just took him a little more time and effort to get himself ready."</p>
<p>The message apparently being, it's never too old to contribute.</p>
<p>Meanwhile, McAdoo reportedly read a Rudyard Kipling poem titled "IF" to players 26 and younger. So unfortunately for players younger than 26, like Odell Beckham Jr., who is 24, they will have to look up Fraiser the lion on the internet.</p>
<p>There's no telling if McAdoo truly motivated players, but at least the first day of training camp didn't sound like a dull one.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/50-most-dominant-athletes-alive-2017-7" >The 50 most dominant athletes alive</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/ben-mcadoo-giants-lions-story-sex-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/pro-golfer-intense-standoff-tiger-woods-us-open-2017-7">What it's like to go into sudden death with Tiger Woods</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-says-he-should-be-the-highest-paid-player-in-the-nfl-2017-7Two months after skipping workouts, Odell Beckham Jr. says he should be the NFL's highest-paid playerhttp://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-says-he-should-be-the-highest-paid-player-in-the-nfl-2017-7
Fri, 28 Jul 2017 13:59:32 -0400Sam Belden
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/597b6b96b50ab17c178b5348-971/ap17164680741254.jpg" alt="Odell Beckham Jr." data-mce-source="Seth Wenig/AP"></p><p></p>
<p>The New York Giants reported for training camp less than two days ago, and star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has already caused a stir around the league.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.uninterrupted.com/watch/d0WrGQlU/odell" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">video posted by Uninterrupted</a>, Beckham outlined one of his main career goals, and it didn't have anything to do with bringing the Lombardi Trophy back to MetLife Stadium. Instead, the 24-year-old LSU product stated his desire to be the NFL's highest-paid player.</p>
<p>"It's like the elephant in the room, and you don't want to talk about it," Beckham said. "But I've gotten to the point in my life where I'm like...there's no need to not talk about it...I believe that I will be hopefully not just the highest-paid receiver in the league, but the highest-paid, period."</p>
<p>It was a big statement from Beckham, especially in a league that values quarterbacks more than ever before. Of the 12 players to <a href="http://www.spotrac.com/nfl/rankings/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">make over $20 million</a> last season, nine were quarterbacks, while the highest-paid wide receiver in the game, Dez Bryant, made just $17 million.</p>
<p>Beckham has been among the best wideouts in the game in his three seasons, racking up over 4,000 receiving yards and 35 touchdowns while making the Pro Bowl every year. Still, becoming the highest-paid player in the league is a lofty goal. The 24-year-old is under contract for two more seasons, so accounting for inflation, he'd likely need to secure upwards of $25 million per year.</p>
<p>The bold declaration came less than two months after Beckham skipped workouts in a move that appeared to be a holdout designed to net a new contract. He skipped all of the Giants' voluntary OTA workouts, prompting head coach Ben McAdoo to <a href="http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2017/05/giants_coach_ben_mcadoo_we_want_all_our_players_to.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">express his disappointment</a> to the media.</p>
<p>Beckham was undeterred, however, retweeting this tweet.</p>
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I'm sick of folks acting like star athletes must always do what a coach asks. McAdoo wants <a href="https://twitter.com/OBJ_3">@OBJ_3</a> at workouts? See ya when it's mandatory. </p>— rolandsmartin (@rolandsmartin) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/868120037839777792">May 26, 2017</a>
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<p>These antics may be distracting, but they aren't anything new from Beckham. This is the same receiver who punched a hole in Lambeau Field after a playoff loss to the Packers and once faked a marriage proposal to a kicking net. He's one of the most animated and outspoken players in the NFL, and the Giants know it.</p>
<p>The team's front office, for its part, seems intent on keeping Beckham — perhaps at any cost. <a href="http://nypost.com/2017/07/27/john-mara-speaks-talks-beckhams-future-and-drive-for-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Per the New York Post</a>, Giants owner John Mara recently remarked that "we certainly don't want to see him playing in another uniform."</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/50-most-dominant-athletes-alive-2017-7" >The 50 most dominant athletes alive</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-says-he-should-be-the-highest-paid-player-in-the-nfl-2017-7#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dara-torres-retired-olympic-swimmer-full-body-gym-routine-2017-8">The full-body gym routine this retired Olympic swimmer does to stay in amazing shape</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-accused-in-giants-memorabilia-scheme-2017-4New documents suggest Eli Manning knowingly participated in a Giants memorabilia schemehttp://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-accused-in-giants-memorabilia-scheme-2017-4
Thu, 13 Apr 2017 17:39:26 -0400Cork Gaines
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/5679a06d2340f826018b78e4-1280/eli manning.jpg" alt="Eli Manning" data-mce-source="Al Bello/Getty"></p><p>New evidence in a&nbsp;<span>civil-racketeering suit suggests Eli Manning knowingly tried to pass non-game-used equipment off as game-used to a memorabilia dealer, <a href="http://nypost.com/2017/04/13/heres-proof-eli-manning-was-in-on-giants-memorabilia-scheme/" target="_blank">according to court documents obtained by Kaja Whitehouse and Bruce Golding of the New York Post</a>.</span></p>
<p><span>The evidence is part of a lawsuit filed against Manning,&nbsp;the New York Giants, Giants equipment manager Joe Skiba, Giants owner John Mara, and Steiner Sports, a large memorabilia company. The suit accuses them of</span><span>&nbsp;"conspiring to fleece collectors of authentic athletic uniforms worn on the playing field," according to the report.</span></p>
<p><span>The latest evidence includes emails handed over by Manning that were part of a pair of conversations: one between Manning and his marketing agent, Alan Zucker and one between Manning and&nbsp;Skiba.</span></p>
<p><span>Here is the content of those emails, according to the Post:</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;"><span>Manning’s email is contained in a pair of exchanges that allegedly began when his marketing agent, Alan Zucker, asked Manning to supply “2 game used helmets and 2 game used jerseys” as per the two-time Super Bowl MVP’s contract with memorabilia dealer Steiner Sports.</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Several hours after Zucker sent the request on April 27, 2010, Giants equipment manager Joe Skiba sent Manning an email saying: “Let me know what your looking for I’ll try to get something down for you…”, court papers say.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">“2 helmets that can pass as game used. That is it. Eli,” Manning allegedly responded from his BlackBerry at 2:08 p.m.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">Less than 15 minutes later, at 2:25 p.m., Manning wrote back to Zucker, saying: “Should be able to get them for tomorrow.”</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">“Thanks Eli,” Zucker responded.</p>
<p><span>The&nbsp;plaintiffs’ lawyer, Brian Brook, told the Post that the emails prove "Manning was looking to give non-game-used helmets to Steiner to satisfy — fraudulently — his contractual obligation."</span></p>
<p><span>The Giants released a statement saying the messages&nbsp;were "taken out of context."</span></p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"The email, taken out of context, was shared with the media by an unscrupulous memorabilia dealer and his counsel who for years has been seeking to leverage a big payday.&nbsp; The email predates any litigation, and there was no legal obligation to store it on the Giants server.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"Eli Manning is well known for his integrity and this is just the latest misguided attempt to defame his character."</p>
<p><span>Brook also alleged&nbsp;the Giants deleted the emails between Manning and Skiba, who was using a Giants email address. Manning was using an AOL address and still had the emails and willingly handed them over, the report said.</span></p>
<p><span>Manning's agent&nbsp;didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-accused-in-giants-memorabilia-scheme-2017-4#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/shark-expert-michael-phelps-raced-real-shark-week-discovery-2017-7">A shark expert explains what would really happen if Michael Phelps raced a live shark</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/jason-pierre-paul-seven-fingers-long-term-contract-giants-2017-1Jason Pierre-Paul is demanding a long-term contract because he feels he's proven he can play with '7 and a half fingers'http://www.businessinsider.com/jason-pierre-paul-seven-fingers-long-term-contract-giants-2017-1
Tue, 10 Jan 2017 11:56:30 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/58750c7fee14b6507e8b67d7-1500" alt="Jason Pierre-Paul" data-mce-source="Michael Reaves/Getty" /></p><p></p>
<p>New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul told&nbsp;the media on Monday that he is demanding a&nbsp;long-term contract this off-season.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"I've done proved it," Pierre-Paul said, according to <a href="https://twitter.com/MikeGarafolo/status/818507981339971586?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">NFL Network's Mike Garafolo.</a> "There's not a guy like me doing it with 7 and a half fingers."</p>
<p>Pierre-Paul, who lost two and a half fingers in a firework accident over the 4th of July in 2014, signed a one-year contract with the Giants last summer for $10 million. That contract, <a href="http://www.bigblueview.com/2017/1/9/14214944/jason-pierre-paul-nfl-free-agency-2017-ny-giants-mwont-sign-one-year-deal">as Big Blue View noted</a>, was effectively a "prove it" agreement, and Pierre-Paul's performance this season indeed proved he is still, despite his digit deficiency, a dominant defensive player in the NFL.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Although he missed five games with a groin injury, Pierre-Paul <span>logged seven sacks, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery returned for a touchdown.&nbsp;</span><span>With&nbsp;Pierre-Paul and Olivier Vernon on opposite ends of the defensive line, the Giants defense is as scary as any unit in football.</span></p>
<p><span>The question for the team's front office this summer will be whether or not to give&nbsp;Pierre-Paul the big pay day he wants. Vernon signed a $85 million contract last season, and Pierre-Paul could ask for something similar.</span></p>
<p><span>What's more, on&nbsp;Monday Pierre-Paul told reporters at his locker that&nbsp;he would not sign another franchise tag if the Giants decide to give it to him. That means if the G-Men&nbsp;wants to keep him, they'll have to dig deep into their wallets.&nbsp;</span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/leveon-bell-running-style-dominating-2017-1" >Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell is on an unreal tear, utilizing a style many coaches hate</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jason-pierre-paul-seven-fingers-long-term-contract-giants-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/shark-expert-michael-phelps-raced-real-shark-week-discovery-2017-7">A shark expert explains what would really happen if Michael Phelps raced a live shark</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-investigation-odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-2017-1NFL is investigating reports that Odell Beckham Jr punched a hole in a wall following loss to Packershttp://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-investigation-odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-2017-1
Mon, 09 Jan 2017 10:27:53 -0500Cork Gaines
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/5873a9c3ee14b61b008b73e8-1777/ap17009077304348.jpg" alt="Odell Beckham Jr" data-mce-source="Matt Ludtke/AP" /></p><p>After the New York Giants lost to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday in the NFL playoffs, several media outlets <span>reported that <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-giants-loss-packers-2017-1" target="_blank">a hole in the wall outside the Giants locker room was caused by Beckham punching the wall</a>.</span></p>
<p><span>Now, NFL security has opened an investigation into the incident, according to Sal&nbsp;Paolantonio of ESPN.</span></p>
<p><span>The incident occurred just after Beckham had finished speaking with the media after the game. According to&nbsp;Paolantonio, who was in attendance, Beckham left the press area and some loud banging was heard. When Paolantonio went out to investigate, there was a hole in the wall near the grounds crew locker room.</span></p>
<p><span>"The grounds crew were saying that Odell Beckham Jr. caused the hole in the wall,"&nbsp;Paolantonio said on ESPN. "One of them said they clearly saw him punch the wall."</span></p>
<p><span>Paolantonio said he then witnessed Beckham banging his head repeatedly on the door to the Giants locker room.</span></p>
<p><span>According to&nbsp;Paolantonio, NFL security is now investigating the incident.</span></p>
<p>"NFL security is investigating the entire incident,"&nbsp;<span>Paolantonio said. "I witnessed them interviewing members of the grounds crew. And one of the NFL security staff told me he later will call the grounds crew members on their cell phones to find out what exactly happened."</span></p>
<p><span>It is unclear what, if any, punishment could be handed down to Beckham for punching a hole in a wall after a game. Presumably, this is not the first time a player has broken something after a loss. It may be just that the NFL is being thorough and making sure they know the entire story. But for now, Beckham is being investigated.</span></p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-investigation-odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dara-torres-retired-olympic-swimmer-full-body-gym-routine-2017-8">The full-body gym routine this retired Olympic swimmer does to stay in amazing shape</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-tabloids-giants-packers-miami-trip-2017-1New York tabloids had a field day blaming the Giants' miserable outing against the Packers on their trip to Miamihttp://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-tabloids-giants-packers-miami-trip-2017-1
Mon, 09 Jan 2017 09:39:59 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p>New York tabloids rolled out&nbsp;their best boat puns on Monday morning to skewer the Giants,&nbsp;who were bounced from&nbsp;the playoffs on Sunday by the Green Bay Packers, 38-13.&nbsp;</p>
<p>"ABANDON SHIP" wrote&nbsp;the Daily News.</p>
<p>"Ship wrecked," quipped the Post. "Yacht's all, folks!"</p>
<p>The nautical headlines are, of course,&nbsp;in reference to the now famous trip the team's wide receivers made to Miami after a Week 17 win against the Redskins. Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Sterling Shepherd and Roger Lewis were seen partying in a club with Justin Beiber, and then photographed shirtless on a boat.</p>
<p>Many criticized the players for partying in the lead-up to a playoff game, and after the Packers ... cruised by the G-Men, NY tabloid treatment was inevitable.</p>
<p><a href="http://nypost.com/cover/covers-for-january-9-2017/">Here's the New York Post's</a> effort:</p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/58739dfcee14b6507e8b6361-1500" alt="New York Post Cover Giants" data-mce-source="NY Post" /></p>
<p>And <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/nydn-back-pages-2016-gallery-1.2482872?pmSlide=1.2940976">here's the Daily News</a>:</p>
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/58739e26ee14b6507e8b6363-1500/screen shot 2017-01-09 at 91437 am.png" alt="New York Daily News Giants Cover" data-mce-source="NY Daily News" /></p>
<p>While the entire offense was underwhelming against the Packers, Beckham in particular failed to make an impact on Sunday night. Most notably, he dropped a key touchdown pass early in the first half. With that in mind, we're disappointed neither the Daily News nor the Post opted with "No Hands On Deck."&nbsp;</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-giants-trip-to-miami-not-problem-vs-packers-2017-1" >Odell Beckham Jr. shot down people saying the Giants receivers' trip to Miami caused their struggles against the Packers: 'It's not realistic'</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-tabloids-giants-packers-miami-trip-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/shark-expert-michael-phelps-raced-real-shark-week-discovery-2017-7">A shark expert explains what would really happen if Michael Phelps raced a live shark</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-giants-trip-to-miami-not-problem-vs-packers-2017-1Odell Beckham Jr. shot down people saying the Giants receivers' trip to Miami caused their struggles against the Packers: 'It's not realistic'http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-giants-trip-to-miami-not-problem-vs-packers-2017-1
Mon, 09 Jan 2017 09:36:02 -0500Scott Davis
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/58739df3ee14b61c008b73a2-1333/undefined" alt="odell beckham" data-mce-source="Matt Ludtke/AP"></p><p>Whether or not it had any actual effect on their games, the <a href="http://deadspin.com/giants-wrs-flew-to-miami-for-one-hell-of-a-party-1790692715">New York Giants receivers' trip to Miami</a> early in the week before their Wild Card game against the Green Bay Packers became a topic of conversation.</p>
<p>During a 38-13 loss to the Packers on Sunday, Odell Beckham Jr. and several other Giants receivers had a case of the drops, spilling easy catches that could have turned into huge plays.</p>
<p>As expected, some, like Fox analysts Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, brought up the trip during the miserable outing. While they acknowledged that there may not be an actual link, they said being seen partying in Miami the week of a playoff game creates a negative perception.</p>
<p>Beckham was not having it, however. After the game, he defended himself and his teammates, saying there was no connection <a href="http://www.sbnation.com/2017/1/8/14207832/odell-beckham-jr-bad-game-giants-vs-packers-boat-photo">(via SB Nation's Harry Lyles Jr.</a>).</p>
<p><span>"[Criticism] started before the game. It happened early, and it did a great job of putting it in people’s minds that, 'Okay now if the Giants lose, it’s because you went to Miami.'"</span></p>
<p><span>He continued, "</span>There was nothing that could connect seven days ago to today and how we came out and played and executed. There’s just nothing in the world, it’s not realistic. I went throughout the entire week of practice fully locked in, you can ask anybody. I didn’t expect the game to go this way today."</p>
<p>Beckham finished the game with just four catches for 28 yards, despite being targeted 11 times. He had a pair of brutal drops in the opening quarter, one of which would have given the Giants a touchdown and an early 7-0 lead.</p>
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<p>Of course, no one on the Giants actually blamed or seemed to care about the receivers' jaunt to Miami last week. Ben McAdoo said it was the players' day off and they can do what they like, and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-giants-wide-receivers-miami-party-2017-1">Eli Manning joked</a> that he was only upset about the clothing his receivers were wearing in one picture.</p>
<p>As Beckham said, a trip seven days earlier couldn't have possibly impacted their performance. Nonetheless, Beckham and company have to deal with the fallout after a disappointing performance in a winnable game.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-giants-loss-packers-2017-1" >Odell Beckham Jr reportedly punched a hole in a wall following Giants' loss to the Packers</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-giants-trip-to-miami-not-problem-vs-packers-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dara-torres-retired-olympic-swimmer-full-body-gym-routine-2017-8">The full-body gym routine this retired Olympic swimmer does to stay in amazing shape</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-giants-loss-packers-2017-1Odell Beckham Jr reportedly punched a hole in a wall following Giants' loss to the Packershttp://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-giants-loss-packers-2017-1
Sun, 08 Jan 2017 22:02:00 -0500Cork Gaines
<p><img src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5872fa6dee14b6ce348b6e25-2000/ap17009077400086.jpg" alt="Odell Beckham Jr" data-mce-source="Matt Ludtke/AP"></p><p></p>
<p>The New York Giants lost to the Green Bay Packers 38-13 in the NFL Playoffs on Sunday and Odell Beckham Jr. has apparently taken the loss hard.</p>
<p>During the game, Beckham finished with just 28 yards receiving on four catches. He was targeted 11 times and had at least three drops in the game.</p>
<p>After the game, several outlets reported that a hole in the wall outside the Giants locker room was caused by Beckham punching the wall.</p>
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Witnesses on Lambeau grounds crew said <a href="https://twitter.com/OBJ_3">@OBJ_3</a> punched this hole in wall outside locker room <a href="https://t.co/GVuP0m7a34">pic.twitter.com/GVuP0m7a34</a> </p>— Neil Best (@sportswatch) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/818274907872260101">January 9, 2017</a>
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<p>According to <span>Sal Paolantonio of ESPN (<a href="https://twitter.com/JordanRaanan/status/818273628483526657" target="_blank">via </a></span><a href="https://twitter.com/JordanRaanan/status/818273628483526657" target="_blank">Jordan Raanan of ESPN</a>), Beckham was also banging his head against the locker room door. Raanan also reported on the hole on the wall.</p>
<p>Beckham's performance came just days after Beckham and several teammates flew to Miami during the Giants' off day leading up to the playoffs. While most dismissed the trip as a non-issue — including Eli Manning who <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-giants-wide-receivers-miami-party-2017-1" target="_blank">dropped a great dad joke</a> about the situation <span>— it did open the group up to potential criticism if the team performed poorly in the game.</span></p>
<p><span>Needless to say, social media had a field day with the alleged wall punching.</span></p>
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Could be disastrous if he did that aboard ... eh, too easy. <a href="https://t.co/fATOQZWTgJ">https://t.co/fATOQZWTgJ</a> </p>— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/818281361056399364">January 9, 2017</a>
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<a href="https://twitter.com/RVacchianoSNY">@RVacchianoSNY</a> <a href="https://t.co/EuzrhRsSnS">pic.twitter.com/EuzrhRsSnS</a> </p>— Roberto González (@RahBerToe521) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/818279921755836417">January 9, 2017</a>
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</div><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-mock-draft-experts-consensus-first-round-2017-1" >NFL MOCK DRAFT: Here's what the experts are predicting for all 32 first-round picks</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-punched-hole-wall-giants-loss-packers-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-formula-e-formula-one-electric-cars-brooklyn-new-york-2017-7">Inside Formula E — the racing series that only uses electric cars</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/clay-matthews-strips-eli-manning-recovers-ball-2017-1Clay Matthews strips Eli Manning then recovers loose ball after Giants stand around watching it in huge playhttp://www.businessinsider.com/clay-matthews-strips-eli-manning-recovers-ball-2017-1
Sun, 08 Jan 2017 19:50:17 -0500Scott Davis
<p><img src="http://static5.businessinsider.com/image/5872dda0ee14b6b2008b72ef-2400/undefined" alt="clay matthews" data-mce-source="Via Fox/NFL"></p><p></p>
<p>Clay Matthews helped solidify the Green Bay Packers' win over the New York Giants with an incredible hustle play.</p>
<p>Trailing the Packers 31-13 in the fourth quarter, Eli Manning was trying to lead the Giants down the field for a quick score.</p>
<p>On 1st-and-10 around midfield, Clay Matthews got around the offensive line and hit Manning as he made his throw. The ball bounced down the field, as Giants rookie running back Paul Perkins looked it, presuming it was dead.</p>
<p>Moments later, all parties realized it was a live ball, and it was Matthews, who made the initial hit, who came flying in to recover it.</p>
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<p>The play seemed to crush the Giants. The Packers then worked their way down the field and scored a touchdown to go up 37-13. While there was still technically enough time for a Giants comeback, turning the ball over on a critical possession seemed to seal their fate.</p>
<p>Aaron Rodgers may get the credit as the driving force of the Packers, but on Sunday, he got some help from his most reliable defender, Matthews.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/clay-matthews-strips-eli-manning-recovers-ball-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jordan-spieth-masters-golf-pga-open-champion-2017-7">Everything you need to know about 23-year-old golf phenom Jordan Spieth — who just won his third major</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/aaron-rodgers-hail-mary-vs-giants-2017-1Aaron Rodgers completes another ridiculous Hail Mary with perfect ball placement to give Packers a huge halftime scorehttp://www.businessinsider.com/aaron-rodgers-hail-mary-vs-giants-2017-1
Sun, 08 Jan 2017 18:24:44 -0500Scott Davis
<p>After a slow start to their Wild Card game vs. the New York Giants, the Green Bay Packers warmed up in the second quarter, thanks, as always, to Aaron Rodgers.</p>
<p>At the end of the second quarter, with the Packers leading 7-6, Rodgers made magic happen yet again.</p>
<p>With five seconds remaining, on 4th and 2, Rodgers scrambled around an oncoming Giants defense and uncorked a Hail Mary from the Packers' 48.</p>
<p>The ball sailed through the air and Randall Cobb easily slid behind a pack of players to catch the touchdown.</p>
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<p>Unreal.</p>
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<p>The pass completely deflated a solid first-half effort by the Giants defense, which held the Packers to just seven yards in the first quarter. However, in the waning moments of the first half, Rodgers got going, hitting Cobb for a 31-yard touchdown with under two minutes left before his end-of-half Hail Mary.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/aaron-rodgers-hail-mary-vs-giants-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-floyd-mayweather-makes-spends-his-millions-net-worth-conor-mcgregor-boxing-money-luxury-cars-2017-7">How Floyd Mayweather makes and spends his millions</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-warming-up-shirtless-giants-packers-game-2017-1Odell Beckham Jr. was warming up shirtless in 12-degree weather 3 hours before the Giants playoff game against Packershttp://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-warming-up-shirtless-giants-packers-game-2017-1
Sun, 08 Jan 2017 14:15:52 -0500Scott Davis
<p><img src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/58728f42f10a9a13018b743f-1500/ap17004799546099.jpg" alt="odell beckham" data-mce-source="Mel Evans/AP"></p><p></p>
<p>The weather at Lambeau Field is apparently not affecting Odell Beckham Jr.</p>
<p>Prior to the Giants' Wild Card game against the Packers in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Beckham took the field to warm up — shirtless.</p>
<p>According to the Weather Channel, it's 12 degrees in Green Bay, but feels like 1 degree with the wind chill.</p>
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Odell Beckham Jr. warming up at Lambeau. Shirtless and in shorts. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/frozentundra?src=hash">#frozentundra</a> <a href="https://t.co/HM64e196f5">pic.twitter.com/HM64e196f5</a> </p>— Bob Glauber (@BobGlauber) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/818167936636559360">January 8, 2017</a>
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<p>And then Beckham got some more Giants to come out to also warm up shirtless with him. <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-giants-wide-receivers-miami-party-2017-1">The Giants must be having visions of Miami</a>.</p>
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Odell Beckham went inside to get some shirtless teammates to join him. ... <a href="https://t.co/lZcrkVWhP7">pic.twitter.com/lZcrkVWhP7</a> </p>— Ralph Vacchiano (@RVacchianoSNY) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/818168968850636800">January 8, 2017</a>
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<p>While the Packers are undoubtedly impressed by the Giants' toughness, this would be a very silly way to catch a cold in the middle of a playoff race! </p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-jr-warming-up-shirtless-giants-packers-game-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jordan-spieth-masters-golf-pga-open-champion-2017-7">Everything you need to know about 23-year-old golf phenom Jordan Spieth — who just won his third major</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-giants-wide-receivers-miami-party-2017-1Eli Manning dropped the perfect dad joke to defuse the Giants' travel controversyhttp://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-giants-wide-receivers-miami-party-2017-1
Wed, 04 Jan 2017 09:43:34 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/586d0558ee14b6aa5c8b5e16-1500/ap81560043097.jpg" alt="Eli Manning" data-mce-source="Jeffrey T. Barnes/AP"></p><p>New York Giants quarterback and father of three Eli Manning provided some humor Tuesday around the controversy involving the jaunt to Miami by the team's wide receivers.</p>
<p>"As a team we kind of always pride ourselves on being well prepared, so when I saw some of those pictures, I was a little disappointed because obviously they didn't pack accordingly," <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18402359/eli-manning-disappointed-new-york-giants-receivers-miami-trip-obviously-pack-accordingly">Manning said</a> dryly at his press conference. "They didn't have any shirts, all long pants, no shorts, no flip-flops or anything. So I was disappointed in their packing and not being prepared for that situation."</p>
<p>After the Giants beat the Redskins in Week 17 to finish 11-5 on the season and lock up the No. 5 seed in the NFC, Odell Beckham Jr., Victor Cruz, Sterling Shepard, and Roger Lewis took a private jet to South Beach to party with Justin Bieber, Lil Wayne, and other celebrities. The wideouts were seen partying, shirtless, at the nightclub Liv and were then photographed the next day, still shirtless, aboard a moderate-size boat.</p>
<p>Manning, <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsCast_THN/status/469236439889100800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">who has previously made news of his own for beach fashion</a>, took issue with his receivers' preparedness for the warm weather:</p>
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So OBJ, Sterling Shepard, Victor Cruz, and Roger Lewis flew to Miami last night, went clubbing, and are on a boat. Living life. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Giants?src=hash">#Giants</a> <a href="https://t.co/SE6QqfuYfT">pic.twitter.com/SE6QqfuYfT</a> </p>— Justin Witmondt (@JustinWitmondt) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/815945165726744576">January 2, 2017</a>
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<p>Though head coach Ben McAdoo <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18402359/eli-manning-disappointed-new-york-giants-receivers-miami-trip-obviously-pack-accordingly">said</a> he had no problem with the trip, the story nevertheless became fodder for New York tabloids and various debate-oriented sports talk shows.</p>
<p>Yet Manning continued to quip about the trip, providing some more wonderful dad-like humor.</p>
<p>"I was telling people I'm the one who took the picture," he <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18402359/eli-manning-disappointed-new-york-giants-receivers-miami-trip-obviously-pack-accordingly">said</a>. "They just wouldn't let me in with my shirt off."</p>
<p>He <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18402359/eli-manning-disappointed-new-york-giants-receivers-miami-trip-obviously-pack-accordingly">continued</a>: "If guys want to get away for the day, I think they were a little low on the vitamin D and wanted to get some sunshine, get their vitamin D up to stay healthy for the cold weather in Green Bay."</p>
<p>Beckham had this to say about the trip (according to <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18402359/eli-manning-disappointed-new-york-giants-receivers-miami-trip-obviously-pack-accordingly">ESPN's Josina Anderson</a>):</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"We were going to [Florida] to get our minds right. That's what we were doing. I handle my business. I'm a grown man. I do what I am supposed to be doing. I'm in the building when I'm supposed to be in the building. I don't miss team meetings, none of that.</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"I'm not perfect, but everybody knows my passion for football, when I'm on the football field. I'm here for the N.Y. Giants, especially over the next four weeks. Now, we are about to make a run, about to make a push; it's go time. Everybody is focusing on what they need to be focusing on."</p>
<p>Manning, in a more serious tone, said he was not worried about his wide receivers' commitment.</p>
<p>"Those guys come out to practice and are prepared for everything that we do," he <a href="http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/18402359/eli-manning-disappointed-new-york-giants-receivers-miami-trip-obviously-pack-accordingly">said</a>. "So nothing has changed."</p>
<p>The Giants head to Lambeau Field on Sunday to play the Packers in the NFC wild-card round.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-power-rankings-playoffs-2017-1" >NFL POWER RANKINGS — Where each team stands going into the playoffs</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/eli-manning-giants-wide-receivers-miami-party-2017-1#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/shark-expert-michael-phelps-raced-real-shark-week-discovery-2017-7">A shark expert explains what would really happen if Michael Phelps raced a live shark</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-one-handed-lefty-touchdown-catch-2016-12Odell Beckham Jr. made yet another one-handed touchdown catchhttp://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-one-handed-lefty-touchdown-catch-2016-12
Sun, 18 Dec 2016 15:50:40 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5856f45aca7f0c1b008b673f-1500" alt="Odell Beckham Catch Lions" data-mce-source="Fox"></p><p></p>
<p>Stop us if you've heard this one before: Odell Beckham Jr. made a ridiculous one-handed touchdown catch for the Giants, and it made it look easy. This one he even caught with his left hand. </p>
<p>Midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday in an important game against the Lions, the Giants led 10-6 and were in the red zone. On a 3rd-and-1, Eli Manning found Beckham open near the right sideline, but threw the ball well behind him. </p>
<p>Because this is Beckham we're talking about, Manning's poor throw didn't matter. Beckham plucked it out of the air with his left hand, brought it to his body to secure the ball, and found the end zone for the score.</p>
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🚨👋🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/OBJ_3">@OBJ_3</a> ONE HANDED TD GRAB ALERT 🚨👋🚨 <br><br>Wowowowowowow. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DETvsNYG?src=hash">#DETvsNYG</a> <a href="https://t.co/uF2scUNgFU">https://t.co/uF2scUNgFU</a> </p>— NFL (@NFL) <a href="https://twitter.com/mims/statuses/810583285331918849">December 18, 2016</a>
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<p>The touchdown gave the Giants their first points of the second half, and gave them a key two-score lead, 16-7. Their defense, which has been red-hot lately, intercepted Matt Stafford in the end zone on the next possession to all but secure the victory. The Giants will move to 10-6, firmly positioning themselves for a playoff spot. </p>
<p>Beckham's one-handed grab couldn't have been bigger.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/odell-beckham-one-handed-lefty-touchdown-catch-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/dara-torres-retired-olympic-swimmer-full-body-gym-routine-2017-8">The full-body gym routine this retired Olympic swimmer does to stay in amazing shape</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/refs-miss-clear-odell-beckham-jr-dropped-passs-2016-12Giants score early touchdown after Lions fail to challenge an obvious blown call by the refshttp://www.businessinsider.com/refs-miss-clear-odell-beckham-jr-dropped-passs-2016-12
Sun, 18 Dec 2016 13:41:11 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5856d487a1a45e8b3f8b5a97-1500/capture20161218121317.jpg" alt="Odell Beckham Jr. Drop" data-mce-source="Fox"></p><p></p>
<p>The New York Giants raced out to an early 7-0 lead at home against the Detroit Lions on Sunday, scoring on the opening drive not long after the Lions failed to challenge an obvious Odell Beckham Jr. drop that the refs incorrectly called a completion.</p>
<p>Early in the drive, on a 1st-and-10 in their own territory, Eli Manning threw to Beckham over the middle on a short pass. At first glance, it looked like Beckham bobbled the ball, but maybe caught it with his legs to secure a completion. </p>
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<p>You could see immediately that the officials did not know for certain whether Beckham had actually caught the ball. The side judge appeared to be looking for someone else to make the call. When they did now, he called it a completion: </p>
<p><img src="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5856d661a1a45e1a008b6a7a-1620/capture20161218122408.jpg" alt="Beckham Drop" data-mce-source="Fox"></p>
<p>However, the replay clearly showed that Beckham dropped the ball: </p>
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<p>Maybe the most shocking part is trying to figure out how the back judge missed the ball hitting the ground. He appeared to be looking in that direction and in perfect position to see the play. </p>
<p><img src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/5856d682a1a45e95648b57eb-1766/capture20161218122447.jpg" alt="Odell Beckham Drop" data-mce-source="Fox"></p>
<p>Inexplicably, the Lions decided not to challenge the play. It was a four-yard gain, which isn't a back-breaking play, but a 2nd-and-10 compared to a 2nd-and-6 is notable.</p>
<p>The Giants continued to move the ball, and scored just a few plays later when Manning found Sterling Shepherd in the end zone.</p>
<p>You never know what might've happened if the Lions had challenged, but they missed an easy one.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-tom-brady-nfl-draft-quarterbacks-2016-12" >WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The 6 quarterbacks drafted before Tom Brady in the infamous 2000 NFL Draft</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/refs-miss-clear-odell-beckham-jr-dropped-passs-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/shark-expert-michael-phelps-raced-real-shark-week-discovery-2017-7">A shark expert explains what would really happen if Michael Phelps raced a live shark</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/giants-rashad-jenning-talks-about-career-longevity-2016-12Giants running back Rashad Jennings explains the key to a long NFL careerhttp://www.businessinsider.com/giants-rashad-jenning-talks-about-career-longevity-2016-12
Sun, 18 Dec 2016 11:10:00 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5851c252a1a45ed2008b5fd8-1500" alt="Rashad Jennings" data-mce-source="Tom Pennington/Getty" /></p><p></p>
<p>The NFL is getting younger, football careers are getting shorter, and no position on the field is more expendable than the running back.&nbsp;</p>
<p>These are common refrains around football circles these days, and all for good reason.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-shrinking-shelf-life-of-nfl-players-1456694959">A Wall Street Journal story in February</a> of this year noted that from&nbsp;<span>&nbsp;2008 to 2014, the length of the average NFL career dropped by about two and a half years. <a href="https://theringer.com/the-nfl-has-an-age-problem-7068825845e4#.ls697x9sl">A story in The Ringer from September</a> noted that the average age (as tracked by Football Outsiders) dropped from 27.2 in 2006 t0, last season, 26.6.&nbsp;The plight of the running back, meanwhile, has been discussed at length by <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2014/03/29/nfl-running-backs-not-only-expendable-theyve-become-dime-a-dozen-2/">just</a> <a href="http://deadspin.com/disposable-feature-backs-todays-guide-to-ignoring-the-1656531268">about</a> <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/adrian-peterson-running-backs-contracts-devalued-wide-receivers-dez-bryant-demarco-murray/1jcsm8smy8ho81vjc2ylwkfl68">every</a> <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/04/29/Running-backs-aren-t-top-NFL-draft-picks-anymore/stories/201504280152">publication</a>&nbsp;out there (including <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-thursday-games-2012-9">this one</a>).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Enter New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings. </span></p>
<p><span>At 31, in the middle of his eighth year in the league and still (despite&nbsp;battles with injuries) contributing effectively to a playoff-bound Giants team, Jennings represents something of an anomaly&nbsp;in football.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I always like to say that there's a difference between NFL players and pro athletes," Jennings told Business Insider this week as he promoted the <a href="https://www.hss.edu/newsroom_2016-heart-of-a-giant-award.asp">Giants' annual&nbsp;Heart of a Giant award.</a>&nbsp;(Jennings, who is as charitable as anyone in the NFL, surprised a high school student in Mahopac, New York, with the award on behalf of the Giants and the Hospital for Special Surgery.)</span></p>
<p>"NFL guys are the guys that come in with a lot of talent, raw, could play right away, dominated at the college level, but get into the pros and suffer some injuries, or can only play for a couple of years before the lack of professionalism catches up with them. And a pro athlete is someone who comes in with some talent but has a work ethic that propels them to sustain an actual career."</p>
<p><span>Considering Jennings' path to the Giants, it's safe to call him a pro athlete first and&nbsp;an NFL player second.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Jennings refers to&nbsp;himself as a former "chubby kid" with asthma, who in high school didn't see the field until his junior year. After one season at Pitt, he transferred to Liberty University in the NCAA FCS division, where he&nbsp;set a conference rushing record. Then, at the 2009 Draft, he was selected by the Jaguars in the seventh round, with the 250th pick.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Eight years later, Jennings has rushed for over 3,000 yards, scored 20 touchdowns, and &mdash;&nbsp;as the nine-win Giants push toward an NFC Wild Card spot &mdash; stands on the verge of his first playoff game. This&nbsp;may not be the most glamorous stat line, but as the league gets younger and careers get shorter, Jennings just keeps on working hard and doing his thing.</span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I take care of my body" he said. "I&rsquo;m a student of the game. I study it. I understand the opponent. I know the job that has to be done.&nbsp;I&rsquo;m a gluten and dairy free guy. For the last eight years. I feel it&rsquo;s a big benefit on my energy level."&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">More important than any of those things, though, is the fact that Jennings is something of a Renaissance man.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I literally can&rsquo;t just think about football. Life wouldn&rsquo;t make sense," he said. "I&rsquo;m a true autodidact at heart. I love to learn, I&rsquo;m attracted to it. I pick up a new craft every offseason just to expand my mind. Whether it&rsquo;s archery, poetry, learning how to make sushi. I do it all. I picked up fencing this offseason. It&rsquo;s part of my personality. I love what I do. But I like life just as much."</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">He went on:&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"One day when I&rsquo;m done playing ball you&rsquo;ll see me all over the place exploring all the other gifts God has given me, and trying to make a difference on another level. But right now I dedicate my time and my effort and energy to being the best football player I can. I don&rsquo;t go out to clubs, I don&rsquo;t drink I don&rsquo;t smoke, I don&rsquo;t play video games. I might spend my hour instead of video games reading a book, I might spend my hour instead of in the club I might be learning a song on the guitar. I might my priorities straight."</span></span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lane-kiffin-florida-atlantic-job-offers-alabama-2016-12" >Lane Kiffin took the Florida Atlantic job because it was the best offer he had</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/giants-rashad-jenning-talks-about-career-longevity-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-formula-e-formula-one-electric-cars-brooklyn-new-york-2017-7">Inside Formula E — the racing series that only uses electric cars</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/janoris-jenkins-rams-players-dont-speak-to-stan-kroenke-2016-12Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins says Rams players were told not to speak to owner Stan Kroenkehttp://www.businessinsider.com/janoris-jenkins-rams-players-dont-speak-to-stan-kroenke-2016-12
Fri, 16 Dec 2016 12:37:14 -0500Scott Davis
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/58541be2a1a45e46008b6632-1300/undefined" alt="janoris jenkins" data-mce-source="Frank Franklin II/AP" /></p><p>New York Giants cornerback Janoris Jenkins likes the culture around the Giants much more than when he was with the then-St. Louis Rams.</p>
<p>Jenkins, who left the Rams after signing a five-year, $62 million deal with the Giants this past offseason, said on "Going Deep with Amani &amp; Dan" on NBC Sports Radio that Rams players were told not to talk to owner Stan Kroenke if he was around.</p>
<p>Though Jenkins seemed to confuse Giants GM Jerry Reese for the team's owner, <a href="http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2016/12/16/janoris-jenkins-rams-players-arent-allowed-to-speak-to-stan-kroenke/">according to Pro Football Talk</a>, he said he enjoys the open culture around the Giants much more.</p>
<p>"Just being here in New York and seeing [G.M.] Jerry Reese every day at practice, it just motivates me because I&nbsp;never seen that in St. Louis," Jenkins said. "It was always&nbsp;the&nbsp;coaches not the owners&nbsp;coming around to see the players. It was&nbsp;always, &lsquo;Don&rsquo;t speak to Stan Kroenke&rsquo; when I&nbsp;was in St. Louis..."</p>
<p>Jenkins continued, explaining the&nbsp;odd atmosphere around the Rams:</p>
<p style="padding-left: 30px;">"I felt I&nbsp;was just playing for my&nbsp;teammates and my coaches, I&nbsp;never seen the owner. Once again, they told us not&nbsp;to speak to him when he come around and I&nbsp;just felt like I&nbsp;wasn&rsquo;t comfortable there. They said,&nbsp;if you ever see Stan come around the facility don&rsquo;t speak to him. Once I&nbsp;heard that my rookie year I&nbsp;just knew I&nbsp;wasn&rsquo;t going to be comfortable, because&nbsp;when he came around it was like everybody better be straightforward nobody better not look at him, it was like kind of crazy."</p>
<p>Though owners in professional sports are not always close to the team, this seems to be one of the first times a player has said that the team was forbidden to&nbsp;<em>speak</em> to the owner. If Jenkins' account is true, it certainly speaks to the <a href="http://mmqb.si.com/mmqb/2016/12/08/los-angeles-rams-junior-high-jeff-fisher-les-snead-problem">discord in the franchise</a>.</p><p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/janoris-jenkins-rams-players-dont-speak-to-stan-kroenke-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-conor-mcgregor-makes-spends-money-floyd-mayweather-fight-mma-yacht-suit-2017-8">How Conor McGregor makes and spends his millions</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-investigating-giants-for-walkie-talkie-use-during-cowboys-game-2016-12The Giants are under NFL investigation for walkie-talkie use during game against the Cowboyshttp://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-investigating-giants-for-walkie-talkie-use-during-cowboys-game-2016-12
Fri, 16 Dec 2016 10:36:00 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static3.businessinsider.com/image/569804ffe6183e46258b6f74-1500" alt="ben mcadoo" data-mce-source="Ron Antonelli/Getty" /></p><p>The NFL is investigating whether the New York Giants violated league rules against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night when head coach Ben McAdoo was forced to use a walkie-talkie to communicate with Eli Manning.</p>
<p>Early in the fourth quarter, the radio transmitter in Manning's helmet stopped working, so McAdoo started to use a walkie-talkie to give his quarterback plays. Under NFL rules, communication between the sideline and the quarterback must stop with 15 seconds left on the play clock; McAdoo's use of a walkie-talkie makes it hard to know for certain whether the Giants violated this.</p>
<p><a href="http://nypost.com/2016/12/15/nfl-investigating-giants-for-possible-walkie-talkie-violation/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=NYPTwitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;sr_share=twitter">According to the New York Post,</a> the Cowboys lodged an official complaint after the game. At that point, the league had already started to look into it.</p>
<p>Manning's helmet radio cut out earlier in the game, too, which forced him to run back and forth between the sideline and the field to get the play.</p>
<p>"I just wasn't getting anything, so I had to run to the sideline to get the plays," Manning <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/12/15/nfl-investigating-giants-for-possible-walkie-talkie-violation/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=NYPTwitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;sr_share=twitter">said</a>. "Four plays maybe, we don't have signals for stuff. It happened to be all run plays. If it's pass plays, [backup quarterback Ryan] Nassib or somebody could signal them to me. I had to run to the sideline, sometimes he was giving it to Odell [Beckham Jr.] right there, and Odell would run to me and get the play in. Like high school."</p>
<p>Manning added that he didn't know whether he and McAdoo had violated any rules because of the walkie-talkie in the Giants' 10-7 victory.</p>
<p id="T2xzgS">"I don't know if we did or didn't [break the rules] or what happened there," Manning <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/12/15/nfl-investigating-giants-for-possible-walkie-talkie-violation/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=NYPTwitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;sr_share=twitter">said</a>.</p>
<p>Ultimately, this shouldn't become a major controversy. If the league does find that the Giants didn't comply with the rule, it's hard to imagine anything more than a fine.</p>
<div>
<div>
<p>"It's obvious to everybody what happened and my understanding is it's being looked into and handled," Stephen Jones, the Cowboys' executive vice president, <a href="http://nypost.com/2016/12/15/nfl-investigating-giants-for-possible-walkie-talkie-violation/?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&amp;utm_source=NYPTwitter&amp;utm_medium=SocialFlow&amp;sr_share=twitter">told reporters</a>. "If you're asking me if it affected the outcome of the game? No."</p>
</div>
</div><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/the-tom-brady-nfl-draft-quarterbacks-2016-12" >WHERE ARE THEY NOW? The 6 quarterbacks drafted before Tom Brady in the infamous 2000 NFL Draft</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-investigating-giants-for-walkie-talkie-use-during-cowboys-game-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/inside-formula-e-formula-one-electric-cars-brooklyn-new-york-2017-7">Inside Formula E — the racing series that only uses electric cars</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/giants-rashad-jenning-talks-about-career-longevity-2016-12Giants running back Rashad Jennings shared an interesting theory about NFL career longevityhttp://www.businessinsider.com/giants-rashad-jenning-talks-about-career-longevity-2016-12
Thu, 15 Dec 2016 11:40:35 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/5851c252a1a45ed2008b5fd8-1500" alt="Rashad Jennings" data-mce-source="Tom Pennington/Getty" /></p><p></p>
<p>The NFL is getting younger, football careers are getting shorter, and no position on the field is more expendable than the running back.&nbsp;</p>
<p>These are common refrains around football circles these days, and all for good reason.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.wsj.com/articles/the-shrinking-shelf-life-of-nfl-players-1456694959">A Wall Street Journal story in February</a> of this year noted that from&nbsp;<span>&nbsp;2008 to 2014, the length of the average NFL career dropped by about two and a half years. <a href="https://theringer.com/the-nfl-has-an-age-problem-7068825845e4#.ls697x9sl">A story in The Ringer from September</a> noted that the average age (as tracked by Football Outsiders) dropped from 27.2 in 2006 t0, last season, 26.6.&nbsp;The plight of the running back, meanwhile, has been discussed at length by <a href="http://www.denverpost.com/2014/03/29/nfl-running-backs-not-only-expendable-theyve-become-dime-a-dozen-2/">just</a> <a href="http://deadspin.com/disposable-feature-backs-todays-guide-to-ignoring-the-1656531268">about</a> <a href="http://www.sportingnews.com/nfl/news/adrian-peterson-running-backs-contracts-devalued-wide-receivers-dez-bryant-demarco-murray/1jcsm8smy8ho81vjc2ylwkfl68">every</a> <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/sports/steelers/2015/04/29/Running-backs-aren-t-top-NFL-draft-picks-anymore/stories/201504280152">publication</a>&nbsp;out there (including <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/nfl-thursday-games-2012-9">this one</a>).&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Enter New York Giants running back Rashad Jennings. </span></p>
<p><span>At 31, in the middle of his eighth year in the league and still (despite&nbsp;battles with injuries) contributing effectively to a playoff-bound Giants team, Jennings represents something of an anomaly&nbsp;in football.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I always like to say that there's a difference between NFL players and pro athletes," Jennings told Business Insider this week as he promoted the <a href="https://www.hss.edu/newsroom_2016-heart-of-a-giant-award.asp">Giants' annual&nbsp;Heart of a Giant award.</a>&nbsp;(Jennings, who is as charitable as anyone in the NFL, surprised a high school student in Mahopac, New York, with the award on behalf of the Giants and the Hospital for Special Surgery.)</span></p>
<p>"NFL guys are the guys that come in with a lot of talent, raw, could play right away, dominated at the college level, but get into the pros and suffer some injuries, or can only play for a couple of years before the lack of professionalism catches up with them. And a pro athlete is someone who comes in with some talent but has a work ethic that propels them to sustain an actual career."</p>
<p><span>Considering Jennings' path to the Giants, it's safe to call him a pro athlete first and&nbsp;an NFL player second.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Jennings refers to&nbsp;himself as a former "chubby kid" with asthma, who in high school didn't see the field until his junior year. After one season at Pitt, he transferred to Liberty University in the NCAA FCS division, where he&nbsp;set a conference rushing record. Then, at the 2009 Draft, he was selected by the Jaguars in the seventh round, with the 250th pick.&nbsp;</span></p>
<p><span>Eight years later, Jennings has rushed for over 3,000 yards, scored 20 touchdowns, and &mdash;&nbsp;as the nine-win Giants push toward an NFC Wild Card spot &mdash; stands on the verge of his first playoff game. This&nbsp;may not be the most glamorous stat line, but as the league gets younger and careers get shorter, Jennings just keeps on working hard and doing his thing.</span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I take care of my body" he said. "I&rsquo;m a student of the game. I study it. I understand the opponent. I know the job that has to be done.&nbsp;I&rsquo;m a gluten and dairy free guy. For the last eight years. I feel it&rsquo;s a big benefit on my energy level."&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">More important than any of those things, though, is the fact that Jennings is something of a Renaissance man.&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I literally can&rsquo;t just think about football. Life wouldn&rsquo;t make sense," he said. "I&rsquo;m a true autodidact at heart. I love to learn, I&rsquo;m attracted to it. I pick up a new craft every offseason just to expand my mind. Whether it&rsquo;s archery, poetry, learning how to make sushi. I do it all. I picked up fencing this offseason. It&rsquo;s part of my personality. I love what I do. But I like life just as much."</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">He went on:&nbsp;</span></span></p>
<p><span><span style="font-weight: 400;">"One day when I&rsquo;m done playing ball you&rsquo;ll see me all over the place exploring all the other gifts God has given me, and trying to make a difference on another level. But right now I dedicate my time and my effort and energy to being the best football player I can. I don&rsquo;t go out to clubs, I don&rsquo;t drink I don&rsquo;t smoke, I don&rsquo;t play video games. I might spend my hour instead of video games reading a book, I might spend my hour instead of in the club I might be learning a song on the guitar. I might my priorities straight."</span></span></p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/lane-kiffin-florida-atlantic-job-offers-alabama-2016-12" >Lane Kiffin took the Florida Atlantic job because it was the best offer he had</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/giants-rashad-jenning-talks-about-career-longevity-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/jj-redick-free-throw-shooters-nba-history-2017-8">A top NBA shooter reveals why players struggle with free throws</a></p> http://www.businessinsider.com/giants-defense-starting-to-look-worth-the-money-2016-12The Giants spent over $100 million this summer to improve their defense — and now it's starting to look dominanthttp://www.businessinsider.com/giants-defense-starting-to-look-worth-the-money-2016-12
Mon, 12 Dec 2016 12:10:20 -0500Emmett Knowlton
<p><img style="float:right;" src="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/584ec212ca7f0c1e058b4eea-1500/ap488109168692.jpg" alt="New York Giants defense" data-mce-source="Bill Kostroun/AP" /></p><p></p>
<p>Eli Manning turned the ball over three times against the red-hot Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night, the New York Giants offense managed 10 points on a meager 26o yards of total offense, and still the Giants won, 10-7, thanks to a masterful effort from a defensive unit that is emerging as one of the best in all of football.</p>
<p>It's been some turnaround for the Giants defense, which finished in the bottom three in the NFL last season and is now giving up 18 points per game &mdash; seventh best in the league. The difference, of course, is personnel: After a disastrous 6-10 season saw the G-Men miss the playoffs, the team spent over $100 million to improve on the defensive side of the ball.</p>
<p>On Sunday, that money looked well spent.</p>
<p>Cornerback Janoris Jenkins &mdash; inked to a five-year, $62 million contract &mdash; was perhaps the best player on the field. (His <a href="https://www.profootballfocus.com/pro-dal-nyg-grades/">Pro Football Focus grade</a>, 91.6, was the highest of any player in the game.) The Jackrabbit, as he likes to call himself, picked off Dak Prescott and neutralized Dez Bryant, holding him to just one catch, which Bryant then fumbled late in the fourth quarter to give the ball back to the Giants.</p>
<p>"That's why we brought him here" <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/giants-snap-cowboys-win-streak-dominant-10-7-victory-article-1.2907359">safety Landon Collins</a> said of Jenkins. "That's why he gets paid what he gets paid. He wants to be great. Great players do great things."</p>
<p>Elsewhere in the secondary, Collins continued his much-improved sophomore campaign (PFF grade: 85.6), Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie (PFF grade: 85.1) broke up numerous passes and nearly picked off Prescott late down the stretch, and cornerback Leon Hall intercepted the Cowboys' rookie QB near the end zone and returned it for 29 yards. Even Eli Apple, the rookie cornerback out of Ohio State, has needed little time to adjust to the NFL &mdash; he looked no more a rookie on Sunday night than Prescott.</p>
<p>The secondary wasn't the only highlight. The defensive front was perhaps even better, especially considering the venerable Cowboys offensive line and Ezekiel Elliott in the backfield. Olivier Vernon, brought in from Miami on a five-year, $85 million deal this summer, and Damon Harrison, signed from the Jets on a five-year, $46 million deal, anchored a defensive line that kept Elliott in check (107 yards but no scores) and contributed to Prescott's worst game as a pro.</p>
<p>Maybe most surprising, though, was the play of Romeo Okwara, a 21-year-old undrafted rookie free agent out of Notre Dame who started for the injured Jason Pierre-Paul. Okwara led the team with eight tackles, and he picked up his first career sack.</p>
<p>"He played like JPP. So it's definitely unexpected," linebacker Jonathan Casillas <a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/football/giants/giants-rookie-romeo-okwara-filling-pierre-paul-article-1.2907406?utm_content=bufferbe579&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_source=twitter.com&amp;utm_campaign=NYDNSports+Twitter">said of Okwara</a> after the game. "You don't expect him or anybody to really do what [Pierre-Paul] can do. And I feel like at least to a certain level, [Okwara] did that. That's huge."</p>
<p>The Giants have now won seven of their last eight games and at 9-4 look poised to pick up a wild-card spot.</p>
<p>The offense, meanwhile, is perplexing: no semblance of a run game, too many holding penalties, and, in spite of a great trio of wide receivers, still too many bad throws from Manning.</p>
<p>But if the defense can continue to look as confident as it did against the Cowboys on Sunday night, the flaws in the offense are easier to swallow. Plus, Odell Beckham Jr. is always a threat to go 60-plus yards for a touchdown &mdash; even on a simple slant, like he did to give the Giants the 10-7 lead.</p>
<p>When a team spends as much money as the Giants did this summer, there will be doubts about whether it was worth it. Right now, it's paying dividends.</p><p><strong>SEE ALSO:&nbsp;<a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/highest-paid-nfl-players-2016-12" >The 25 highest-paid players in NFL history</a></strong></p>
<p><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/giants-defense-starting-to-look-worth-the-money-2016-12#comments">Join the conversation about this story &#187;</a></p> <p>NOW WATCH: <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/how-floyd-mayweather-makes-spends-his-millions-net-worth-conor-mcgregor-boxing-money-luxury-cars-2017-7">How Floyd Mayweather makes and spends his millions</a></p>